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It was because the Crown Prince wouldn't let Cerden go.
Cerden muttered with a tired face.
"You look happy."
"Yes. We've won half the battle."
Augustine's execution had been decided the day before yesterday. And the news had just been delivered as urgent.
The fact that someone was going to die was still unfamiliar, but the victory we had won against Duke Spelman was, as always, deeply meaningful.
"Congratulations, Cerden."
Cerden lowered his head and kissed my cheek. Then he slumped down on the sofa.
The sofa next to me sank.
"Are you very tired?"
"Tired enough that I can't celebrate our victory right now."
Cerden muttered in a languid voice. He smelled faintly of alcohol.
Mixed with orange.
"Did you drink a lot?"
"No."
Cerden stared at me with slightly unfocused eyes. Perhaps because of the accumulated fatigue, he looked even more decadent.
A handsome man was handsome even when tired.
Handsome even when drunk.
Maybe it was because I realized I liked him that he seemed even more so. Even Cerden's shortcomings seemed perfect.
Cerden fiddled with my cheek with his finger.
"Sometimes I feel like you're a dream."
I took Cerden's hand and leaned my cheek against his long, large palm. I blinked slowly.
"When I wake up in the morning, you'll disappear."
"Me?"
I laughed like a bubble bursting. Where would I go?
You're the only one who understands me.
Cerden was the only one who looked at me as if I was cute, even when I did strange things.
Cerden smiled languidly and closed his eyes. I snuggled into his arms. He naturally embraced me.
His long arms wrapped around my back and his hot breath landed on my neck. Augustine's death was far away, and this embrace was right here with me now.
Augustine Spelman was paying for his sins. I remembered the man's true face, who had used violence against the maids.
He must have lived like that his whole life.
Even in the original story, Augustine had killed and tormented countless people.
My actions had become the fuse that led to his death. It was a strange feeling, both happy and sad.
I inhaled Cerden's scent deeply. That's how I relieved my guilt.
I rubbed my cheek against Cerden's warmth. That erased the name Augustine.
"Holding you like this is definitely real, but sometimes I feel like you're far away."
"...That's ridiculous."
"Yeah, it's a ridiculous delusion."
Cerden muttered languidly and lowered his head. And he kissed me, who was nestled in his arms like a baby kitten.
Our lips met.
Laughter scattered and Cerden's voice was etched into me.
He familiarly grabbed my chin and opened my mouth. He probed the inside of my cheek and stroked my skin with a soft touch.
The thin fabric of my clothes rolled down. I could feel Cerden's fingers caressing my exposed collarbone.
It felt like the hairs on my head were standing on end.
"Haa."
Cerden whispered as he kissed my cheek lightly.
"Lift your waist."
Cerden stroked my waist. I was so surprised that I lifted my waist without realizing it.
The redness on my white skin came into my view. I squeezed my eyes shut. Cerden pulled me onto his body.
I could feel the soft flesh being crushed in Cerden's grip. Hot...
I'm going crazy, really.
My skirt was pushed up. My white thighs, contrasting with Cerden's black pants, were provocative.
I buried my face in Cerden's shoulder. I thought I'd be okay if I didn't look, but that wasn't the case.
Because I couldn't see, my other senses were heightened.
Cerden kissing my neck, nibbling on the thin skin of my shoulder, his calloused fingers rubbing my skin.
I could feel him clutching at my clothes as if he couldn't stand it.
"Cerden..."
I couldn't help but call his name. Cerden let out a low breath.
"I'm going crazy."
Fortunately, it seemed I wasn't the only one. My body was burning. I wanted to cling to Cerden even more.
I wanted to quench an unknown thirst.
I raised my head and kissed Cerden. Between my parted lips, a hotter, more feverish flesh pressed in than before.
It was full of the scent of oranges.
* * *
"Good morning."
I rested my chin on Cerden's bed and waited for him to wake up, then said. I smiled brightly and stared at Cerden. I watched clearly as the focus returned to his blurry eyes and I was reflected in them.
"...Good morning."
Cerden pinched my cheek lightly.
We fell asleep in the same bed yesterday too. He repeatedly wrapped and unwrapped my pajamas in his hands.
There was no confession, but there was definitely emotion between us.
He likes me as much as I like Cerden.
I was realizing that fact with my whole body. I pressed down on Cerden's cheek and then let go.
"Wake up, sleepyhead."
"...Where are you going today?"
"Hmm. It's the day I go to the temple. The Crown Princess is more enthusiastic than I thought."
Cerden ran a hand over his face.
"The couple is diligent together."
He seemed to be referring to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. The Crown Prince was preparing for his reign.
He was working day and night to get more favorable terms in the next trade negotiations with Lakecia.
I thought that the Crown Princess's sincerity towards me was probably in the same context. Lakecia was the ruler of the Eastern Continent. If they could gain an advantage in their relationship with Lakecia, they could gain a lot.
"Is Cerden going to tour the harbor with the Crown Prince again today?"
"No."
Cerden narrowed his eyes and smiled.
"Today, I'm thinking of going to the temple with you to pray."
"...You said you don't believe in God."
"I still don't."
Lakecia had a slightly weaker faith. The relationship between the temple and the Emperor was also strained.
This was due to the past policy of suppressing divine power, but apart from the policy, the faith of individual citizens of the empire was not restricted.
Perhaps that's why the citizens of Lakecia believed in many gods.
"Where is Cerden's god?"
His finger poked my nostril.
"Here."
"Cerden."
"Or here?"
Cerden poked my cheek.
"What are you doing..."
"Or here."
Cerden kissed my lips briefly. I burst out laughing at his joke. It was the start of a pleasant morning.
* * *
While Cerden was perfunctorily looking around the Temple of the Healing God, that is, while the Crown Princess of Yures was sweating profusely, not knowing what to do.
At that time, Augustine was saying his last goodbyes to Duke Spelman.
"You're amazing. It must be very meaningful to abandon your son to achieve what you want!"
Augustine shouted, foaming at the mouth. Duke Spelman burst out laughing.
"Augustine. You are foolish."
Duke Spelman's eyes were only cold. There wasn't even a shred of sadness in them.
That fact made the back of Augustine's neck prickle.
"Did I only abandon you?"
Augustine's lips were tightly closed.
"I abandoned the wife who slept with me and bore my children."
Duke Spelman was only indifferent. As if he had done what he had to do.
"I tamed my daughter like a beast. It was to use her appropriately when needed. I took everything she had and held it in my hands."
Duke Spelman listed his achievements.
The blood drained from Augustine's face.
"How are you different from them?"
"Father...!"
"Why did you think you were special?"
"I, I..."
He couldn't bring himself to say the word 'son'. Evelyn's face, whom he had ignored and ridiculed, came to mind. She was also Duke Spelman's child.
"What was different?"
Duke Spelman sighed.
"I see. Didn't I warn you? Not to act rashly."
His voice was chilling.
Augustine realized then. To Duke Spelman, he had never been a son, not even for a moment.
He was no different from Evelyn.
That night, Augustine Spelman was executed.
It was a miserable end compared to his grand ambition.
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